From Amateur Photographer to Aspiring Pro
How Bill Kuta Turned His Passion for Photography into a Potential Second Career
The homepage for The PhotoShelter Collection.
A photographer's microsite on PhotoShelter.
Bill Kuta's page on PhotoShelter.
Websites that let photographers store, print, and share their digital images have been around for some time now. But if you've ever dreamed of selling one of your shots to a magazine, there's a new online service that could help you see your name -- and photos -- in print. Called The PhotoShelter Collection, the service is like Flickr or Shutterfly for aspiring professionals.
One such aspiring pro who recently sold two of his images via The PhotoShelter Collection is Bill Kuta, a retired government worker who is hoping to turn his love of photography into a second career.
A Love of Photography
Bill purchased his first SLR, a Canon FT, while in the Army in the late '60s and started photographing his travels and friends and family. Five years ago he retired from his job as an IT and banking research specialist for the federal government and decided he wanted to take his photography to the next level – both as an artistic outlet and to utilize the computer skills he had acquired.
Bill is self-taught, learning photography skills and shooting tips from magazines and books and, most importantly, from "The Three Ps"-- practice, practice, and more practice. Embracing the ethos of the Web, Bill found guidance from the photography community and developed his skills further using online forums and websites. Living in proximity to Washington DC, Baltimore, and the mid-Atlantic region, helped him build a library of images depicting landmarks and iconic sites in the region as well as lifestyle and art inspired shots.
Giving It a Shot
Three years ago, Bill decided he would try his hand at selling some of his images using online photo agencies. In late 2007 while on an Internet forum, he learned about The PhotoShelter Collection and became interested in participating in an edited U.S. catalogue that embraces a more contemporary aesthetic. The site opened in mid-November and Bill is proud to have already sold two of his images to Travel + Leisure magazine. When published, Bill's images will be viewed by over two million readers.
While photography isn't Bill's full-time job, he takes his work seriously. His father always said that, after he retired, he never understood how he ever had had time for his job, and now Bill understands. With five grandchildren he'll spend his days shooting and enjoying quality time with the future generation of photographers.
To see some of Bill's work on PhotoShelter, click this link.